Ahead of 2023 general elections, the Benue state police command has signed peace accord with various political parties in the state to ensure they carry out their campaigns in a peaceful manner.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, while addressing representatives of various parties in his office, at the command headquarters in Makurdi, Friday, said the command will not tolerate any acts of violence.
He explained that he had called the meeting to enable them discuss their programmes, itineraries so as to provide them with enabling environment to carry out their activities in a peaceful manner.
The police commissioner who noted that the command will ensure that the set rules guiding electoral processes is observed to the letter, appealed to the parties to carry out issues based campaigns devoid of hate and rancour.
He said “I have asked them to sign an undertaking. It’s an MOU saying that all of us are going to work together for one goal which is peace. We need peace in Benue for everybody to do what they want to do without being molested.
“I have asked for their itinerary so that we can avoid friction where one party will be have campaign here and another party will be thinking of having campaigns in the same venue. This kind of thing will bring about friction.”
The CP who pledged to treat all the parties equally urged the party leaders to go back and educate their members and supporters especially the youths to avoid acts that will create more problems.
He also disclosed that a pool of combat ready police officers are being trained for quick response unit to enable the command respond to issues across the state.
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CP Abass warned those in the habit of destroying campaign materials; posters, billboards to desire from such act saying “I have sounded that note of warning to everybody. Once you are arrested, it’s not a question of anybody coming to appeal to the CP, if you are arrested, you must face the wrath of law.”
Representatives of the political parties, in their separate remarks, pledged commitment to the peace pact and commended the police commissioner for the proactive step.
The state acting chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Emmanuel Mffo and state chairman of All Progressives Party, APC, Austin Agada, described the meeting timely, and a welcome development.
While Mffo urged all parties to observe the rules of the game for the sake of brotherliness and interest of Benue state, Agada said APC is totally committed to the peace accord and urged prosecute anyone caught breaching the peace in the state.
They were unanimous in their concerns over the wanton destruction of campaign materials by rival party supporters and and appealed to the commissioner of police to address the situation cases of use of thugs and might to suppress the others.
Those presents at the meeting were state acting chairman of the PDP and his Secretary, Emmanuel Mffo, state chairman of APC, Austin Agada, Paul Torres from National Rescue Movement, NRM, Vihityor Janet from Labour Party, Isaac Orshio of Young People’s Party, Emmanuel Nyianshima of Zenith Labour Party.
Other parties also represented include All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, New Nigeria People’s party, NNPP, Action Peoples Party, APP, Action Alliance, AA, among others.
